Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

1. This is not the issue. If it were, suburban low density Palo Alto would be absorbing new people at a fine clip. The problem is the lack of building.

2. This is much closer to the heart of it. Local politics allows homeowners to veto good housing policy in the interest of protecting their investments. However, Detroits expansion had nothing to do with the unions lobbying for housing policy, there just wasn't much in the way of zoning laws and people built where there was demand.

In any case, the only thing that's going to fix the housing crisis over there is zoning reform. Believe me I feel your pain, I live in Manhattan. At least we're doing some building, though not nearly as much as we should. If it were up to me all (most) of the three story sixpacks in Bushwick would be bulldozed for six story tenements.



Yeah, I think the way the 5 boroughs are organised is great for New York. People who are okay with high-density housing flock to Manhattan and those that want to have suburbs, leafy streets and green lawns stay in Long Island, West Chester etc. The key enabling factor is the (now decrepit) public transportation system. The Bay Area, again, has nothing like it (once again, possibly due to the crazy geography of the place).

But New Yorkers beware. The Subway is at risk of being destroyed by idiot Cuomo. It's already leagues behind London (which does it cheaper and better), not to mention Tokyo and others.


> The key enabling factor is the (now decrepit) public transportation system. The Bay Area, again, has nothing like it (once again, possibly due to the crazy geography of the place).

I'd put this more on the Bay Area's low population than on the geography.


Plus the myriad of municipalities that all want a say. It's no coincidence that the BART doesn't go all the way down the Peninsula, stopping just before Burlingame. The rich homeowners there didn't want the SF riff-raff coming to their town, therefore commuters are stuck with the Caltrain.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: